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Evaluating an Intervention to Lower Health Literacy Demand of Graduate Student Clinician Summary Cover Letters to Patients

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Title: Evaluating an Intervention to Lower Health Literacy Demand of Graduate Student Clinician Summary Cover Letters to Patients
Language: English
Authors: Ann Miller, Sameep Gawaskar, Venkata Naga Sreelalitapriya Duvuuri, Richard I. Zraick, Kian Soltani, Om Patel, Debra Knox
Source: Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders. 2025 9(1).
Availability: Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders. 685 Malena Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Web site: https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/tlcsd/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Graduate Students, Speech Language Pathology, Graduate Medical Education, Clinical Experience, Writing Exercises, Writing Instruction, Writing Strategies, Literacy, Communication Skills, Physician Patient Relationship, Patient Education, Interpersonal Communication, Clinical Diagnosis, Teaching Methods
Geographic Terms: Florida
ISSN: 2689-6443
Abstract: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association encourages university programs to cultivate skills related to client health literacy among students. One means of doing so is to train students to write in a way that places lower health literacy demands on clients and their families. This study tested the effectiveness of a health literacy module for improving students' skills in writing client letters to accompany diagnostic reports. Students in two sections of an advanced graduate seminar in Speech Pathology course were assigned to write cover letters to be sent to a hypothetical client at the UCF Communication Disorders Clinic. Reading grade level calculators of the pretest indicated students wrote at a college level, and the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) revealed that students performed worst on literacy elements which are not regularly associated with letter writing, but which can dramatically assist with readability and comprehension: breaking information into chunks, using informative headers, and using visual cues like bullet points, bolding, and font size. Fewer than half of students regularly used plain language and active voice. After completing the module, grade level of student writing had lowered to high school, but no statistically significant differences were found in use of specific literacy elements.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1460093
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Evaluating an Intervention to Lower Health Literacy Demand of Graduate Student Clinician Summary Cover Letters to Patients
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Teaching+and+Learning+in+Communication+Sciences+%26+Disorders%22"><i>Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders</i></searchLink>. 2025 9(1).
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  Data: Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders. 685 Malena Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Web site: https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/tlcsd/
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Graduate+Students%22">Graduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech+Language+Pathology%22">Speech Language Pathology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Graduate+Medical+Education%22">Graduate Medical Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Clinical+Experience%22">Clinical Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Exercises%22">Writing Exercises</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Instruction%22">Writing Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Strategies%22">Writing Strategies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Literacy%22">Literacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication+Skills%22">Communication Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physician+Patient+Relationship%22">Physician Patient Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Patient+Education%22">Patient Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpersonal+Communication%22">Interpersonal Communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Clinical+Diagnosis%22">Clinical Diagnosis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink>
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  Data: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association encourages university programs to cultivate skills related to client health literacy among students. One means of doing so is to train students to write in a way that places lower health literacy demands on clients and their families. This study tested the effectiveness of a health literacy module for improving students' skills in writing client letters to accompany diagnostic reports. Students in two sections of an advanced graduate seminar in Speech Pathology course were assigned to write cover letters to be sent to a hypothetical client at the UCF Communication Disorders Clinic. Reading grade level calculators of the pretest indicated students wrote at a college level, and the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) revealed that students performed worst on literacy elements which are not regularly associated with letter writing, but which can dramatically assist with readability and comprehension: breaking information into chunks, using informative headers, and using visual cues like bullet points, bolding, and font size. Fewer than half of students regularly used plain language and active voice. After completing the module, grade level of student writing had lowered to high school, but no statistically significant differences were found in use of specific literacy elements.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1460093
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 15
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Graduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Speech Language Pathology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Graduate Medical Education
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      – SubjectFull: Clinical Experience
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Writing Exercises
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Writing Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Writing Strategies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Literacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Communication Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physician Patient Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Patient Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal Communication
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      – SubjectFull: Clinical Diagnosis
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      – SubjectFull: Teaching Methods
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      – SubjectFull: Florida
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      – TitleFull: Evaluating an Intervention to Lower Health Literacy Demand of Graduate Student Clinician Summary Cover Letters to Patients
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